A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 7 of Henry V from the original Shakespeare into modern English.
Original Text |
Translated Text |
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Source: Folger Shakespeare Library | |
Enter the Constable of France, the Lord Rambures, CONSTABLE Tut, I have the best armor of the world. ORLÉANS You have an excellent armor, but let my CONSTABLE It is the best horse of Europe. 5 ORLÉANS Will it never be morning? DAUPHIN My Lord of Orléans and my Lord High Constable, ORLÉANS You are as well provided of both as any DAUPHIN What a long night is this! I will not change ORLÉANS He’s of the color of the nutmeg. DAUPHIN And of the heat of the ginger. It is a beast for 20 CONSTABLE Indeed, my lord, it is a most absolute and DAUPHIN It is the prince of palfreys; his neigh is like ORLÉANS No more, cousin. | Over at the French camp, Bourbon brags about his horse (seriously) until the Constable and Orléans say enough already! |
DAUPHIN Nay, the man hath no wit that cannot, from ORLÉANS I have heard a sonnet begin so to one’s DAUPHIN Then did they imitate that which I composed 45 ORLÉANS Your mistress bears well. DAUPHIN Me well—which is the prescript praise and CONSTABLE Nay, for methought yesterday your mistress 50 DAUPHIN So perhaps did yours. CONSTABLE Mine was not bridled. DAUPHIN O, then belike she was old and gentle, and CONSTABLE You have good judgment in horsemanship. DAUPHIN Be warned by me, then: they that ride so, and CONSTABLE I had as lief have my mistress a jade. DAUPHIN I tell thee, constable, my mistress wears his CONSTABLE I could make as true a boast as that if I had DAUPHIN “Le chien est retourné à son propre vomissement, CONSTABLE Yet do I not use my horse for my mistress, RAMBURES My Lord Constable, the armor that I saw in CONSTABLE Stars, my lord. DAUPHIN Some of them will fall tomorrow, I hope. CONSTABLE And yet my sky shall not want. 75 DAUPHIN That may be, for you bear a many superfluously, CONSTABLE Ev’n as your horse bears your praises— DAUPHIN Would I were able to load him with his CONSTABLE I will not say so for fear I should be faced RAMBURES Who will go to hazard with me for twenty CONSTABLE You must first go yourself to hazard ere you | Bourbon goes on and on about the magnificence of his horse and Orléans points out that Bourbon talks about it like it's his girlfriend or something. Bourbon confesses that he once wrote a sonnet to his beloved steed. After some discussion among the men about the similarities between riding one's horse and "riding" a woman, Bourbon declares that he'd rather have his horse than his mistress. (Eww.) |
DAUPHIN ’Tis midnight. I’ll go arm myself. He exits. ORLÉANS The Dauphin longs for morning. RAMBURES He longs to eat the English. CONSTABLE I think he will eat all he kills. ORLÉANS By the white hand of my lady, he’s a gallant 95 CONSTABLE Swear by her foot, that she may tread out ORLÉANS He is simply the most active gentleman of CONSTABLE Doing is activity, and he will still be doing. ORLÉANS He never did harm, that I heard of. CONSTABLE Nor will do none tomorrow. He will keep ORLÉANS I know him to be valiant. 105 CONSTABLE I was told that by one that knows him ORLÉANS What’s he? CONSTABLE Marry, he told me so himself, and he said ORLÉANS He needs not. It is no hidden virtue in him. CONSTABLE By my faith, sir, but it is; never anybody ORLÉANS Ill will never said well. 115 CONSTABLE I will cap that proverb with “There is ORLÉANS And I will take up that with “Give the devil CONSTABLE Well placed; there stands your friend for 120 ORLÉANS You are the better at proverbs, by how much CONSTABLE You have shot over. 125 ORLÉANS ’Tis not the first time you were overshot. | When Bourbon runs off to get ready for battle (even though it's midnight), the Constable and Orléans take the opportunity to talk trash about him. |
Enter a Messenger. MESSENGER My Lord High Constable, the English lie CONSTABLE Who hath measured the ground? MESSENGER The Lord Grandpré. 130 CONSTABLE A valiant and most expert gentleman.— ORLÉANS What a wretched and peevish fellow is this CONSTABLE If the English had any apprehension, they ORLÉANS That they lack; for if their heads had any RAMBURES That island of England breeds very valiant ORLÉANS Foolish curs, that run winking into the 145 CONSTABLE Just, just; and the men do sympathize with 150 ORLÉANS Ay, but these English are shrewdly out of 155 CONSTABLE Then shall we find tomorrow they have ORLÉANS They exit. | A messenger arrives with news that the English are only 1500 paces from the French encampment. Orléans and the Constable talk about what an idiot King Henry has turned out to be. The English army has no idea they're about to get pummeled by the French soldiers. |